Heater for reptile breeding

ABSTRACT

A heater for use in a reptile breeding cage is disclosed to include a flat heater body including a front heat-radiating face, a flat back cover covered on a back side of the front heat-radiating face, a heating layer set in between the front heat-radiating face and the flat back cover and a thermal insulation layer sandwiched between the heating layer and the flat back cover, and a flat protective shell accommodating the flat heater body and providing an opening through which the front heat-radiating face of the flat heater body is exposed to the outside.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to reptile breeding facilities and moreparticularly, to a heater for reptile breeding that has a low profileand avoids scaling accidents under long-term use.

2. Description of the Related Art

A wide variety of reptiles and amphibians, such as iguana, dragon,tortoise, aquatic turtle, phelsuma, dactylus, crickets, grasshoppers,snake, and etc. are living in this world. Recently, the wave of reptilebreeding has become a rising trend due to the reason that reptileenthusiasts can observe reptile living environment when breedingreptiles and enjoy the feeling of coming into contact with the wildword.

People who love reptiles as pets may use a reptile cage to raisereptiles. Nowadays, various different reptiles and amphibians breedingcages are commercially available. Riverbed sand, rain forest bark,jungle soil and plants may be provided in a reptile cage to simulatenatural breeding environment, ensuring a healthy growth of breedingreptiles. Further, a reptile cage may be equipped with a lightingfixture to simulate daylight and to keep cold blooded reptiles warm.

FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional reptile breeding cage 100 equippedwith a heat lamp 101. The heat lamp 101 is disposed at the top side ofthe reptile breeding cage 100 and downwardly facing toward the inside ofthe reptile breeding cage 100. The heat lamp 101 comprises a heat bulb102, and a metal lampshade 103 surrounding the heat bulb 102. The metallampshade 103 is shaped like an inverted hopper with the large open sidethereof facing downward so that the heat lamp 101 can give off light andheat to a large area in the reptile breeding cage 100.

However, the aforesaid heat lamp 101 is not good enough for use in areptile breeding cage. The metal lampshade 103 can transfer heat. Ascalding injury may occur if the user touches the hot metal lampshade103 accidentally.

Further, to fit the shape of the heat bulb 102, the metal lampshade 103has a certain height and dimension, occupying much installation space.Further, it is not beautiful to use of the heat lamp 101 in a reptilebreeding cage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is one object of the present invention to provide a heater forreptile breeding, which is practical for long-term application, avoidingscalding accidents.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a heater forreptile breeding, which has a low profile, requiring less installationspace.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a heaterfor reptile breeding, which efficiently converts watt into heat, savingpower consumption.

To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, a heaterfor use in a reptile breeding cage comprises a flat heater body. Theflat heater body comprises a front heat-radiating face, a flat backcover covered on the back side of the front heat-radiating face, aheating layer set in between the front heat-radiating face and the flatback cover, and a thermal insulation layer sandwiched between theheating layer and the flat back cover.

Preferably, the front heat-radiating face and the thermal insulationlayer are directly molded in the flat heater body.

Further, the flat heater body comprises a positioning structure, forexample, a locating groove located on the front side of the flat heaterbody around the front heat-radiating face.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the heater further comprisesa flat protective shell accommodating the flat heater body. The flatprotective shell has an opening through which the front heat-radiatingface of the flat heater body is exposed to the outside.

The protective shell further comprises a mounting device for fasteningto a reptile breeding cage.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the heater furthercomprises an annular top heat insulation shield and an annular bottomheat insulation shield respectively attached to opposing front and backsides of the flat heater body, a protective panel holding the annulartop heat insulation shield, the flat heater body and the annular bottomheat insulation shield, a first heat insulation plate set between theflat heater body and the annular bottom heat insulation shield, a secondheat insulation plate set between the annular bottom heat insulationshield and the protective panel, and a grid guard covered on the annulartop heat insulation shield opposite to the flat heater body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating a conventional reptilebreeding cage equipped with a heat lamp.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a heater for reptile breeding inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of the heater for reptile breeding inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the heater for reptile breeding inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates the heater accommodated in a protective shell inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a front view of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a schematic applied view of the present invention,illustrating the heater installed in a reptile breeding cage.

FIG. 9 is an elevational view of an alternate form of the heater forreptile breeding in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the heater shown in FIG. 9.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, a heater for reptile breeding in accordance withthe present invention is shown. The heater comprises a flat heater body10. The flat heater body comprises a front heat-radiating face 11, aflat back cover 12 covered on the back side of the front heat-radiatingface 11, a heating layer 13 set in between the front heat-radiating face11 and the flat back cover 12, and a thermal insulation layer 14sandwiched between the heating layer 13 and the flat back cover 12.

The flat heater body 10 can be made in any of various shapes. In thisembodiment, the flat heater body 10 has a disc-like shape.

The aforesaid heating layer 13 is preferably formed of a spiral heatingcoil, and electrically connectable to a power outlet by a power cable15. Using a heating coil for the heating layer 13 has the advantage ofpower saving. When compared to heating lamp, a 60 W heating coil canachieve the same effects of a 100 W heating lamp.

The aforesaid thermal insulation layer 14 is made of a thermalinsulation material and configured subject to the size of the heatinglayer 13. In this embodiment, the diameter of the thermal insulationlayer 14 fits the diameter of the heating layer 13.

Preferably, the flat heater body 10 is a single piece member having theheating layer 13 and the thermal insulation layer 14 embedded therein.

Further, a positioning structure, for example, a locating groove 16 canbe formed on the front side of the flat heater body 10 around the frontheat-radiating face 11 for mounting. However, the design of the locatinggroove 16 is not requisite.

Referring to FIGS. 5-7, the flat heater body 10 can be accommodated in aflat protective shell 20. The flat protective shell 20 has an opening21. After accommodation of the flat heater body 10 in the flatprotective shell 20, the front heat-radiating face 11 of the flat heaterbody 10 is exposed to the outside through the opening 21.

Further, the flat protective shell 20 comprises a plurality of clamps 22for clamping on the locating groove 16 of the flat heater body 10 tosecure the flat heater body 10 inside the flat protective shell 20.

As illustrated, the flat protective shell 20 comprises a mounting device23 for securing to a selected part of a reptile breeding cage.

Referring to FIG. 8, the heater of the present invention can be mountedin the top side of a reptile breeding cage 100, keeping the frontheat-radiating face 11 of the flat heater body 10 to face toward theinside of the reptile breeding cage 100 so that the heater can give offheat to keep the inside space of the reptile breeding cage 100 warm.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate an alternate form of the present invention.According to this alternate form, the heater for reptile breedingcomprises an annular top heat insulation shield 91, an annular bottomheat insulation shield 92, a flat heater body 10 set between the annulartop heat insulation shield 91 and the annular bottom heat insulationshield 92, a protective panel 93 holding the annular top heat insulationshield 91, the flat heater body 10 and the annular bottom heatinsulation shield 92, a first heat insulation plate 94 set between theflat heater body 10 and the annular bottom heat insulation shield 92, asecond heat insulation plate 95 set between the annular bottom heatinsulation shield 92 and the protective panel 93, and a grid guard 96covered on the annular top heat insulation shield 91 opposite to theflat heater body 10. The flat heater body 10 in this embodiment is sameas that shown in FIGS. 2-4.

In conclusion, the invention provides a heater for reptile breeding,which has a low profile characteristic, requiring less installationspace. Under a long-term use to give off heat, the thermally insulatedouter surface remains at a low temperature, avoiding scalding accidents.Further, the heating layer uses a spiral heating coil to efficientlyconvert watt into heat, saving power consumption and practical for usein temperature controlling applications.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

What the invention claimed is:
 1. A heater for use in a reptile breedingcage, comprising a flat heater body, said flat heater body comprising afront heat-radiating face, a flat back cover covered on a back side ofsaid front heat-radiating face, a heating layer set in between saidfront heat-radiating face and said flat back cover, and a thermalinsulation layer sandwiched between said heating layer and said flatback cover.
 2. The heater as claimed in claim 1, wherein said frontheat-radiating face and said thermal insulation layer are directlymolded in said flat heater body.
 3. The heater as claimed in claim 1,wherein said flat heater body comprises a positioning structure locatedon a front side thereof for mounting.
 4. The heater as claimed in claim3, wherein said positioning structure is a locating groove located onthe front side of said flat heater body around said front heat-radiatingface.
 5. The heater as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a flatprotective shell accommodating said flat heater body, said flatprotective shell comprising an opening through which said frontheat-radiating face of said flat heater body is exposed to the outside.6. The heater as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a flatprotective shell accommodating said flat heater body, said flatprotective shell comprising an opening through which said frontheat-radiating face of said flat heater body is exposed to the outside.7. The heater as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a flatprotective shell accommodating said flat heater body, said flatprotective shell comprising an opening through which said frontheat-radiating face of said flat heater body is exposed to the outside.8. The heater as claimed in claim 5, wherein said protective shellfurther comprises a mounting device for fastening to a reptile breedingcage.
 9. The heater as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an annulartop heat insulation shield and an annular bottom heat insulation shieldrespectively attached to opposing front and back sides of said flatheater body, a protective panel holding said annular top heat insulationshield, said flat heater body and said annular bottom heat insulationshield, a first heat insulation plate set between said flat heater bodyand said annular bottom heat insulation shield, a second heat insulationplate set between said annular bottom heat insulation shield and saidprotective panel, and a grid guard covered on said annular top heatinsulation shield opposite to said flat heater body.
 10. The heater asclaimed in claim 2, further comprising an annular top heat insulationshield and an annular bottom heat insulation shield respectivelyattached to opposing front and back sides of said flat heater body, aprotective panel holding said annular top heat insulation shield, saidflat heater body and said annular bottom heat insulation shield, a firstheat insulation plate set between said flat heater body and said annularbottom heat insulation shield, a second heat insulation plate setbetween said annular bottom heat insulation shield and said protectivepanel, and a grid guard covered on said annular top heat insulationshield opposite to said flat heater body.
 11. The heater as claimed inclaim 3, further comprising an annular top heat insulation shield and anannular bottom heat insulation shield respectively attached to opposingfront and back sides of said flat heater body, a protective panelholding said annular top heat insulation shield, said flat heater bodyand said annular bottom heat insulation shield, a first heat insulationplate set between said flat heater body and said annular bottom heatinsulation shield, a second heat insulation plate set between saidannular bottom heat insulation shield and said protective panel, and agrid guard covered on said annular top heat insulation shield oppositeto said flat heater body.